The present invention relates to a rearward closure assembly for an automotive vehicle.
It is known in automotive vehicles to employ hinged closure panels for providing access to the cabin of the vehicle through a rearward passageway of the vehicle. It is also known that the panels are typically hinged along one of their edges for swinging rotation about an axis substantially coincidental with such edge. Such hinged closure panels thus require clearance space into which panels may swing thereby limiting the practical location where such vehicles can be used. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a rearward closure assembly that requires reduced clearance space for opening and closing.
The present invention is for a rearward closure assembly for selectively opening and closing a rearward passageway of an automotive vehicle. The automotive vehicle includes a top portion, a first and second side portion and a rear portion wherein the rear portion includes a rearward passageway. The closure assembly includes a first and second track guide, a generally rectangular rear panel, a generally rectangular rearward roof panel and a motor. The first track guide extends generally parallel and adjacent to the first side portion of the vehicle and extends from the top portion of the vehicle to the rear portion of the vehicle. The second track guide extends generally parallel and adjacent to the second side portion of the vehicle and extends from the top portion of the vehicle to the rear portion of the vehicle. The rear panel and the roof panel are supported by the first and second track guides. The rear panel is moveable along the track guides from a first flush position covering a lower portion of the passageway to a second position generally opposing the roof panel thereby opening the lower portion of the passageway. The rear panel is further moveable along the track guides from the second position to a third position generally opposing the top portion of the vehicle. The roof panel is moveable from a first flush position covering an upper portion of the passageway to a second position generally opposing the top portion of the vehicle thereby opening the upper portion of the passageway. The motor is suitably linked to at least one of the rear and roof panels for assisting in moving the at least one of the rear and roof panels to its respective positions.